Hosta plant named &#39;stitch in time&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hosta  named ‘Stitch in Time’, characterized by its wide yellow colored leaf margins and its unique gathering and stitching where the yellow leaf margin tissue meets the dark green center tissue.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hostaplant, botanically known as Hosta, hereinafter referred to by thecultivar name ‘Stitch in Time’.

The new plant was discovered by the Inventor during the summer of 2003as a non-induced, naturally occurring whole plant mutation of Hosta‘Summer Breeze’ (not patented) at his nursery in Olathe, Kans., USA.Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by division in 2004 in Olathe,Kans. and by tissue culture in 2005 in Waseca, Minn. has shown theunique and distinct characteristics of this new plant are stable andreproduce true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Stitch in Time’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish the new Hosta as a new and unique cultivar:

-   -   1. Medium sized clump;    -   2. Dark green narrow-centered leaves with a very wide yellow        margin which comprises approximately 80% of the leaf area;    -   3. A unique gathering or stitching effect where the green and        yellow leaf tissues meet; and    -   4. Pale lavender flowers.

The new Hosta can be compared to its parent cultivar, ‘Summer Breeze’.In the new Hosta, the margin width is substantially wider than in theHosta ‘Summer Breeze’. The green center of the new Hosta is reducedproportionately to the increased margin. In addition the parent plantdoes not show the unique gathering or stitching effect where the greenand yellow leaf tissue meets.

The new Hosta cultivar has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary to some extent withvariations in environmental conditions such as temperature, fertilityand light intensity, but without any variance in the genotype.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance ofthe new cultivar including its unique traits as a three year old plantgrowing in a one gallon container. The colors are as true as isreasonably possible with conventional photography.

FIG. 1 was taken in July and comprises a top perspective of a typicalplant of the new Hosta.

FIG. 2 was taken in October and shows the front side of an individualleaf with the unique stitching effect between the center and margintissue.

FIG. 3 was taken in October and shows the back side of an individualleaf.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society's Colour Chart (1995 edition) except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The followingobservations and measurements describe a three-year old plant growing ina one gallon container, as depicted in the accompanying photographs,which was grown outdoors in Olathe, Kans., USA.

-   Botanical classification: Hosta ‘Stitch in Time’.-   Parentage: Naturally occurring whole plant mutation of Hosta ‘Summer    Breeze’ (non patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Method.—By division and tissue culture.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant habit.—Compact, mounding, symmetrical.        -   Culture.—Light to medium shade in moist soil.        -   Plant type.—Herbaceous rhizomatous perennial.        -   Plant height.—20 cm (up to about 46 cm at maturity).        -   Plant width.—38 cm (up to about 107 cm at maturity).        -   Vigor and growth rate.—Moderate.        -   Root system.—Normal, fleshy, branching.        -   Disease resistance.—No known resistance or susceptibility to            disease known to Hosta has been observed.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Broadly ovate with a cordate base.        -   Leaf margin.—Entire.        -   Leaf surface.—Slightly dull on top and slightly shiny on            bottom.        -   Leaf texture.—Glabrous, moderate to heavy substance,            slightly wavy leaf margins.        -   Leaf size.—10 cm in width, 11 cm in length (increasing to            about 18 cm in width and 22 cm in length at maturity).        -   Venation pattern.—Campylodrome with 6 to 8 pairs of veins            (increasing to 10-12 vein pairs at maturity). Venation            pattern becomes very irregular and contorted in the green            centered tissue area.        -   Leaf color.—Dark green center (about RHS 138B) with a very            wide golden yellow margin (about RHS 3C). The leaf margin            comprises about 80% of the leaf surface and changes to a            greenish yellow (about RHS 151D) late in the season.-   Petiole description: Plant petioles may have a length of    approximately 15 cm with a width of about 13 to 19 mm. The petiole    has a central region with a dark green color (about RHS 138B) with a    margin having a golden yellow color (about RHS 3C).-   Flower scape description:    -   -   Scape shape.—Round, solid.        -   Scape number.—Each mature eye comprising the clump may            produce a single flower scape under normal growing            conditions.        -   Scape posture.—Straight, held upright at about 10 to 30            degrees from vertical.        -   Scape size.—About 46 to 76 cm in length, about 5 mm in            diameter.        -   Scape color.—Dark green (about RHS 138B).        -   Scape surface.—Glabrous.        -   Leaf bracts.—None observed.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal racemes of single funnel-shaped            flowers on elongated scapes.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About 4 weeks in mid-summer            from first opening bloom to fading of last opening bloom,            individual blooms last about one day.        -   Flower shape.—Funnel-shaped.        -   Flower number.—The number of flowers per raceme varies from            about 15 to 30.        -   Flower internode length.—About 2 cm.        -   Flower fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flower bud shape.—Spathulate.        -   Flower bud size.—About 3 cm in length and 1.3 cm in            diameter.        -   Flower bud color.—Pale lavender (about RHS 85D).        -   Flower size.—About 5.5 cm in length and 3 cm in diameter.        -   Flower color.—Pale lavender (about RHS 85D).        -   Pedicels.—About 5 mm in length, 2 mm in diameter, RHS 138B            in color, glabrous surface.        -   Perianth features.—Comprised of 6 tepals, 3 internal and 3            external, overlapping in expanded region and fused in tube            region.        -   Tepal shape.—Oblanceolate with acute apex.        -   Tepal size.—About 5 cm in length and 1 cm in width.        -   Tepal color.—Pale lavender (about RHS 85D).        -   Tepal texture.—Glabrous.        -   Floral bracts.—1 per flower, ovate in shape, glabrous            surface, RHS 138B in color, about 3.5 cm in length and 1 cm            in width.-   Reproductive organ description:    -   -   Gynoecium.—1 pistil; style is about 5.5 cm in length, 1 mm            in diameter, white in color; stigma is 3-lobed and white in            color; ovary is superior, compound, composed of 3 locules,            RHS 146D in color.        -   Androecium.—6 stamens; filament is about 5 cm in length, 1            mm in diameter, white in color; anthers are about 3 mm in            length, 1 mm in width, RHS 202A in color; pollen is abundant            and RHS 15B in color.        -   Fruit.—Not observed under growing conditions tested.        -   Seeds.—Not observed under growing conditions tested.-   Root development: From transfer to rooting media in tissue culture,    rooting takes approximately 4 weeks at about 20 degrees Celsius.    After transfer from stage III in tissue culture to planting into    soil in a greenhouse, a well rooted plant is produced in    approximately 8 weeks with a daytime temperature of about 20 degrees    Celsius and a soil temperature of about 26 degrees Celsius.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hosta plant named ‘Stitch in Time’ asillustrated and described herein.